A Moon Made of Longing
by NebulaWrites
Summary: While it wasn't the way he had wanted it, he has lived for a very long time and from the looks of it he will live for many more years to come. He has seen various clans all but diminish to then rebuild themselves thoroughly, and the same went for the shinobi lifestyle.
1. Chapter 1

_I am TobiOro trash and I am making it my goal to drag as many people down with me as I can. This was originally going to be one of my drabbles, but I liked the idea too much to leave it as such and thus 'A Moon Made of Longing' was born._

 _Firstly what parent in their right mind would notice two of their children are missing, but don't do anything about it? Secondly Kurama has every right to be done with all of this. Thirdly Orochimaru should not be allowed to train these four._

 _I really shouldn't be allowed free reign of my ideas._

* * *

While it wasn't the way he had wanted it, he has lived for a very long time and from the looks of it he will live for many more years to come. He has seen various clans all but diminish to then rebuild themselves thoroughly, and the same went for the shinobi lifestyle.

As it stood, though, it had been over five thousand years since he had originally been born. The life of shinobi villages was long over, and now the world was a mere husk in his opinion. After two-and-a-half thousand years the world dropped out of the practice of the shinobi lifestyle, and it hasn't gone back.

He couldn't adjust like everyone else because being a shinobi has always been what he's known. And he hasn't died like the others so he's never forgotten.

So now he is the only one who _knows_. Knows about the hidden villages, how to control chakra, how to _fight_. He lives hundreds of miles from society because there are so many more people, and he couldn't stand it any longer.

Well. Maybe reuniting with everyone he's ever cared about a couple hundred times only to watch them die over and over and _over_ had something to do with it as well. What definitely had a part of it were the large advancements of technology, not quite what Naruto had managed to bring around after the Fourth War.

It was similar, but more advanced. He had managed well at first; it was easy enough to figure out how to use things even if it were from trial and error. But he preferred minimal contact with such things; just having what he was used to certainly was sufficient.

In a valley surrounded completely by mountains, he'd created a building that would become his new home. It was a reasonable size, it certainly was more than large enough to house a singular person and still have enough room to store many things. He was by himself, and he was thankful for that because being alone was something he knew.

Well, he was never quite alone as he still had his summons and truthfully any other of the summoning animals if he wished to call them. But alongside them were the bijuu, Kurama specifically as the other eight had requested to be sealed away to slumber.

The Kyuubi, however, was much too prideful to be sealed away and now would most likely reside in his current Jinchūriki for many more years. The two of them never spoke much – mainly due to various levels of loathing and more or less civil snarls – but it was still an unspoken comfort for him to know that he wasn't really alone.

He's fallen out of all memory, he's almost certain of that, and it's a miracle no one has managed to find his secluded home after all this time. For now it's simply a matter of keeping himself occupied, keeping his vow to teach the way of the ninja should it ever come back into interest.

Out of all the places in the surrounding woods, where he'd chosen to start a garden was likely his favorite. Now it had grown quite large with plants of all kinds throughout the area, it was shaded and the perfect temperature in most weather. Because of this, it was by far the best place to train in just about everything except ninjutsu.

He had an area cut out solely for that kind of training, a bit farther from his home but closer to the lake. Being so close to water was helpful, especially when Kurama wanted to blow off some steam.

Currently the demon fox was asleep, if the snores rumbling through his thoughts were anything to go by. He can't help a faint snort as another deep snore comes from the fox, and he rolls his eyes as he continues training with his shakujō. The morning was strangely more peaceful than usual, quieter, and that made him faintly wary.

There were no sounds of animals in the forest; even on the worst days there was at least the sound of birdcalls. After a moment he stopped his movements, eyes narrowing at the four points of chakra he could feel approaching. The chakra was too strong to be any type of animal other than a summons, and he knew that none of them were prone to wandering around in this new world.

Not even within his little haven, as they tended to call it, they preferred to stay to their respective areas.

So that could only mean one thing. Those four chakra signatures were _human_ , and the fact that they felt heavy indicated humans with a lot of chakra. Were it even a century ago-

" _Hey,_ " growls Kurama, startling him faintly as he hadn't heard the bijuu wake. " _Snake, someone's approaching._ "

With a huff, he slid back into his practicing even as he focused onto the signatures. "You sensed them too? Is it possible for you to tell their path?" he asked calmly, planting the end of the shakujō into the ground to fling himself off his feet. He lands lightly, ducking as though he were dodging an attack before swinging the weapon around while he rolled to stand.

" _They're coming directly towards us, how did they even find this place?_ "

Blinking slowly, he lunged forward to kick off one large oak and flip over the head of his imaginary opponent. "We're hundreds of miles away from any city, I've had my snakes go out at least once every year to make sure of that. Either this is happenstance or someone was looking for a secluded place, and they found one here." Kurama growled again, his chakra flaring violently. " _Let me chase them away, they don't need to be here._ "

"And what, have you start another forest fire? Last time you did that I nearly lost my home. The area is large, it's unlikely they'll get anywhere near us." He retorted venomously, half focusing on his movements as he flicks a pair of kunai from his sleeve. The Kyuubi grumbles darkly, still clearly tense but settling down nonetheless, " _They couldn't be tracking your chakra, or mine, could they?_ "

That certainly got him to freeze in his movements, his mind instantly racing for an answer. "No technology can track chakra, not even large chakra like our own. Unless someone had managed to be born with a sensor's abilities and were near it's not likely." He answered slowly, choosing his words with care to still make his point but not over complicate the explanation.

They both stay silent for a while after that, and Kurama breaks it with a huff, " _There's an unless. There's always an unless with you, snake, so spit it out._ "

He sighed, reluctantly returning to his training as he spoke again, "Unless it were an incredibly strong sensor. Like a sensor as strong as the Nidaime Hokage, that's the only way anyone would be able to find us from such a great distance." A distasteful growl rumbles through the bijuu at that, and for half a moment he contemplated going to scold the fox face-to-face. The silence was back rather quickly, and that truly made it easier for him to train while watching the approaching signatures.

" _They're twenty feet to your south, snake, I'd say it's safe to say that they_ _ **are**_ _tracking us._ "

Of all things, he thinks pettily, why now when I've been safely tucked away for two millennia at the _least_?

Eyes narrowing sharply, he continued on as though he didn't feel them approaching, listening intently. Three sets of footsteps and faint snores, their footsteps were light for the most part indicating someone small. When the footsteps stopped at the edge of the garden, he swung his shakujō around sharply to aim it in the general direction of the people. Two heartbeats after his movements completely stopped he was stunned to see four _children_.

Two of the four had black hair; the next had dark brown hair that was choppy, and the last with shaggy white hair. One look at ruby-red eyes, pale skin and white hair handed him his answer, and he'd be damned if he were wrong. " _That's Madara Uchiha, snake, kill him! Kill him now!_ " Kurama snarled before growling in fury as he lowered the weapon. Eyes as wide as moons, the boy that was indefinitely Madara Uchiha stared openly with his mouth slightly open in awe.

The boy he was carrying sighed sleepily before rousing himself, black eyes blinking a few times before widening in surprise. "What _is_ it?" the brunet boy crowed in awe before yelping as all of his companions hit him. " _Brother_ ," the palest of them hissed, red eyes narrowing. With a scoff of both annoyance and offense, he stood to his full height and subtly let his chakra free.

"What could possibly bring four children not even ten years old nearly one thousand miles away from any society?" he asked pointedly, not letting his gaze waver from the boys before him in hopes of unnerving them into leaving. "I can't believe you were _right_ , Tobirama, this has to be the person the book was talking about!" the boy with a bowl cut said excitably, his dark gaze shining as he looked at the white-haired boy.

Tobirama lifts a condescending brow at his brother before heaving a disgruntled sigh. "We don't know that for sure, brother, just because we found someone out here doesn't mean it's the right person." Narrowing his eyes sharply, he let go of all restraint on his chakra because it clearly didn't matter to staunch it, "I asked a question, and I have no patience for being ignored."

The boys looked at each other for a moment, Madara allowing the one on his back to climb down. A few more beats, and Tobirama looked at him again with an unwavering gaze. "We're looking for someone who can give us answers." He states and slowly golden eyes blink in uncertain surprise. "Answers to..?" he left his question hanging on purpose to let them finish it.

"Do you have a name," the smaller of the two black haired boys asks, tilting his head curiously and unknowingly mimicking an owl – it was slightly adorable. "It'd make us more comfortable if we have something to call you."

" _Why are you not chasing the brats out of here? All four of them are bad luck, Sannin, and you know it!_ " Kurama bursts back into speaking without losing a single drop of the anger in his tone. His chakra, burning and dangerous, spikes and nearly escapes in a violent lash before it's quickly smothered by the chakra of the Jinchūriki.

Calmly, he lets his shakujō hang idly next to him as he contemplates answering the boy's question. It would probably be better if he didn't give his name, especially not to four children he'll hopefully be sending away within moments. "I have a name, yes, but I will not share it. If you want you can find something to call me for the conversation." He said ignoring the indignation that flickers through the boy's expression, merely cocking his hips and raising a brow at them.

"Hebi," the brunet offers – he suspects that this boy would be Hashirama seeing as Tobirama and Madara were already identified, possibly the last was Izuna – and he grins when the others look at him in confusion. "Don't tell me no one else is thinking 'snake'."

Tobirama heaved a longsuffering sigh, crossing his arms over his chest as he turned his attention elsewhere. "I found this book, it was rather old and battered but still could be read without worry of destroying it, and it mentioned something called 'chakra'. It also said there was only one person left that knew anything about chakra, and what one can do with it." He confessed, his brows furrowing as he clearly fought down the urge to shift under everyone's gazes. "We wanted to find out if the person was still around, we need answers only they can provide."

He watched the boys for a moment, keeping his expression carefully blank before he inclines his head faintly. "And if I'm not this person you seek?"

Hashirama makes a noise of distress, his shoulders slumping and oh how _that_ was strangely familiar. Tobirama glared at the other briefly before answering briskly, "If you are not we will continue looking. We _need_ to get answers."

" _You're crazy, don't you dare actually answer them! Get rid of them already._ "

Completely ignoring the bijuu, he glided over to the tree his kunai had embedded into before turning to the children. "You're tired, hungry as well, I'm sure. Follow me and after you've bathed and eaten we'll see if I am the one you're searching for." He says, tipping his head in the direction of his home and snorting at how each of their faces light up. Madara plucked Izuna up into his arms once again, ignoring the glare it gets him, and the three of them follow eagerly as he sets off to the building.

* * *

He sunk down gracefully next to the table, one he tended to use for tea and not much else, picking up his teacup as the boys gorge themselves on their food. "Moderation, it's wise to remember that. If you eat too much too quickly you'll make yourself sick." He chided into his cup as Izuna raises his head curiously. It was truthfully a bit pleasing to have properly identified the boys even without having known their names first.

Tobirama simply began to eat at a regular pace, snorting as Hashirama burns his mouth with a yelp. The boy snatches up his glass of water and downs more than half of it in one go, making him quirk an eyebrow. "So are you a man or a woman?" Izuna asked after a cautious moment, shifting under the bright gaze that's turned on him and ducking his head faintly. "You look like a woman, but your voice sounds like a man's."

After an endless moment, he places down his cup in favor of grabbing Hashirama's to refill it. "I do not care what you see me as, use whatever pronouns you wish and are comfortable with. However, I am more familiar with male pronouns." He says indifferently, ignoring the confused looks he received from both Hashirama and Izuna. The brunet cautiously began to eat again, slower and being sure to blow on his food to make sure it was cooled.

"Tell me," he murmurs, lightly brushing his hair from his face before studying the boys. "What else did the book say of the person you're seeking?"

Tobirama stopped his glaring at Hashirama – who had already finished his plate of food, clearly he hadn't been paying attention to what was said earlier – in order to turn and respond, "Well, truthfully it was rather vague. It said they were part of a team of the strongest in their time, and that they had a deep affiliation with some animal..? I don't remember what it was, but I know it wasn't warm-blooded." He, as ever, makes sure his expression is carefully blank while he plucked his cup off the table once again.

"Cold-blooded animals," he asks simply to amuse the children, taking a measured drink of his tea. "And best of their time?"

The white-haired boy nodded as he sets his chopsticks down, quietly thanking him for the food before responding. "Yes, I believe it called the team… The legendary…" he frowns in frustration, his eyes narrowing and eyebrows scrunching together.

" _How,_ " Kurama drawls – his voice a mixture of seething hatred and bubbling frustration. " _Could a brat have found a book old enough to mention you?_ "

Not replying to either of them, he stared at his reflection in his tea for an endless moment, a nostalgic smile tugging at his lips. It had been nearly one hundred years since he's thought about his old team, or anyone from his past for that matter, and it was… painful. Tobirama is watching him curiously while Madara stares at him warily. Izuna and Hashirama aren't paying attention any longer and were snickering as they pushed rice around on the black-haired boy's plate.

He had been careful to gather everything that could lead anyone to him, not wanting to be found and forced to rejoin the cities. Apparently he missed at least one book, and while that was annoying, it made him realize that one can't disappear forever. " _You're stupid, snake, don't you_ _ **dare**_ _tell them anything!_ " the Kyuubi snarled, clearly seeing through his silence.

With a steadying breath, he sets his teacup down to fold his arms in his kimono sleeves. "The Legendary Sannin," he informs the red-eyed child, forging on even as he perks up hopefully. "That's what the name was, and the three of them were the strongest of their generation. One had connections to the toads, one the slugs, and the last had affiliations with the snakes. I think the one contracted with the snakes is who you're looking for."

Hashirama finally had turned his attention to the conversation, and he slammed his hands on the table in excitement. "Do you know them?!" asked the brunet eagerly, all but bouncing in joy even as he's glared at by his companions. "What were their names, could you tell us?"

Kurama starts snarling and cursing at him, clearly more than furious now, and he unremorsefully ignores the bijuu. Lifting his chin a little and inclining his head ever so slightly, he studied the four boys one more time before giving in with a sigh. "One was renowned as the Toad Sage, his name was Jiraiya. The next was granddaughter to the founder of the first shinobi village; her skill in medical ninjutsu was unmatched for a long time. She was known as the Slug Princess, and she was named Tsunade."

He snorted, smirking in amusement at the fact each of them were watching and listening in rapt attention. "The last was known as the Snake Sage. Recognized – feared – for his appearance, his contract with the snakes as well as powerless in battle. His name was…" Izuna puffs his cheeks out in aggravation while the others shift and glance at one another at his pause. "What was his name?!" the feathery-haired boy demands impatiently and it made him chuckle.

"Orochimaru, _my_ name is Orochimaru."


	2. Chapter 2

_My main goal for chapter lengths is for them to be around the same length each time. Also, as a few people have been getting confused with this on my Ao3, there is a reason why Oro is the only one in this situation. I'll explain it hopefully in the next or 4th chapter. Hang on until then if you're curious, alright? The day I wrongfully plan a TobiOro fic is the day I die :v_

* * *

"Any questions you have about chakra or just the shinobi lifestyle overall, I will do my best to answer." He said evenly, letting his golden gaze slide over the four boys.

Hashirama whooped happily, falling backwards with giddy laughter before he began to chant, "We did it!"

Izuna looks awestruck, his dark eyes wide as he grabs onto Madara's sleeve to lightly shake his brother. " _You're_ Orochimaru? I don't believe it, hasn't it been thousands of years since the Sannin, as you called them, were around?" Madara asked skeptically, eyeing Orochimaru with – in his opinion – a proper amount of suspicion, and he tips his head in acknowledgement and agreement.

"Approaching six thousand years, yes. I understand why you're doubtful, since no one else has lived this long before."

The boy narrows his eyes at the Sannin, his mouth drawn into a taut scowl as Tobirama irritably tries to calm Hashirama down. "Explain _how_ anyone could have lived this long, then." He all but ordered, crossing his arms over his chest and _glaring_. Orochimaru blinked slowly, half tempted to not answer simply because the boy should not be trying to act superior to him, however…

"I would have lived this long no matter what, I desire to learn everything there is to know about the world and in order to do that I would have to live forever. Though that is not the reason I've lived so long."

The boy looked less that impressed with the vague answer, his charcoal eyes narrowing even further. "That's not an answer," he snaps, wavering only faintly when the Sannin met his gaze blankly. "It was indeed an answer, even if it wasn't the answer you sought. You are quite arrogant to think you have the place to command me, do you not agree?" replies Orochimaru evenly, raising one eyebrow coolly and fighting down the flicker of amusement that floats through him as he hears Kurama huff angrily.

Either the bijuu was angry with the Uchiha or Orochimaru himself, not that he was going to ask or even think about it too much.

Madara falters, looking down briefly before meeting the snake's gaze once more. "What is the reason that you're still alive, if you are in fact Orochimaru?" Tobirama asked suddenly, and the pale ninja slowly turns his attention to the white-haired child. After a long stretch of silence, Orochimaru let out a short sigh before finally deigning to answer.

Though it wasn't going to be as straightforward as they must be hoping.

"A person will stop aging at the age of twenty until they meet their 'other half', or whatever you prefer to call it. If they do not, their body will not age until they do finally meet."

Izuna tilted his head again, an exact replica of the way he had earlier – it was still adorable. "But what if someone's soulmate got killed? Would they still not grow up?" asks the feathery-haired boy curiously, making Hashirama make a noise of curious agreement. "Do _we_ have soulmates? Wait, Izuna, how did you know he was talking about soulmates? What _are_ soulmates?" the brunet got sidetracked, scowling at his lost train of thought.

Orochimaru couldn't help it, he laughed. Softly, a barely audible sound that only Tobirama seemed to hear but he ignored the boy in favor of replying, "Soulmates are two or more people who are perfect for one another, and yes each of you do have soulmates."

Izuna stops in his glaring at Hashirama, looking back at the Sannin with an inquisitive, yet vaguely miffed, expression. "Did you ever meet your soulmate?" the question was innocent, almost painfully so, but it _stung_.

Even more so than remembering Jiraiya and Tsunade.

With an aggrieved noise, Tobirama thumps his head onto the table and unintentionally makes the plates and cups clatter dangerously, "Did you not listen at _all_ , Izuna?"

It took some effort, but Orochimaru returned his expression and demeanor back to a careful blankness. "You said you were seeking answers about chakra?" is what he says, not bothering to answer Izuna's question and luckily the young boy seemed too buys with glaring at Tobirama to realize.

Sitting up again, the white-haired boy nods with a wary glance at his companions before looking at the snake summoner fully. "What is it exactly? The book didn't explain too far into detail, and I would like to know that much at least before delving into the reason we're here."

"Chakra is energy created when one combines their physical energy with their spiritual energy. Your chakra system is just as vital as any of your other systems, though I suppose after this long it's not as vital to you four as it would be to myself." Orochimaru explained.

Tobirama chews this over, one of his eyebrows sliding up towards his hairline, "What can you _do_ with chakra? It is possible to say… make plants grow or water move with it?"

Feeling his own brow quirk to match the boy's expression, the Sannin inclined his head faintly. "It is, chakra is used for a different variety of things from walking on water and up walls to casting illusions on other people." The boys look at each other again, their expressions matching in grim seriousness. Izuna suddenly ducked his head, resting his chin on the table as he idly played with a strand of his hair.

"By illusions do you mean making people see things that don't actually happen?" the feathery-haired boy asks meekly, something akin to grief in his eyes as Madara lightly placed his hand on the smaller boy's shoulder. Orochimaru frowns, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully as he studies the two Uchiha, "Yes, that is what I mean. Do you need to know anything more before you tell me why you've sought me out?" he inquired, turning his gaze back to Tobirama since it seemed the pale child was the one to ask.

Tobirama played with his fingers for a while, his brow furrowed and expression thoughtful. "I can make plants grow," Hashirama suddenly blurts, shifting and hunkering in on himself. "Not by planting them, well obviously I can do that too, but I mean if I hold a carrot or something I make it grow by accident." Intrigued, Orochimaru completely misses Kurama's snarl in favor of watching as Tobirama finally looked up.

"All three of us have seen it happen, and we're not joking when we say he can do that. If I get too mad I make any nearby water begin to trash, almost like it had just come down a waterfall."

" _It's been thousands of years how can two brats suddenly be showing signs of chakra?_ " Kurama barks and the Sannin hummed quietly, after all considering who these four _were_ it wasn't that surprising. "Madara and Izuna can make people see things just by meeting their eyes, they've done it to me by accident." Hashirama comments and Madara nods shortly, briefly glaring at the brunet before looking almost expectantly at Orochimaru, "Can you tell us why we can do that?"

With a faint smirk, he slides to his feet and lightly brushes nonexistent crumbs from his kimono. "If I'm not mistaken, which I'm not, it would be your Sharingan, though how you've already awakened it I do not know."

"As for making water move, you have a connection to you chakra already enough to cause a disturbance around you. Growing dead plants would be Mokuton, it's a very special type of release that few have the ability do to."

"The Sharingan?"

Nodding, Orochimaru motions for them to stay put as he glided over to one of the nearby bookshelves. "Yes, like Mokuton it is a Kekkei Genkai exclusive to those born of a particular bloodline. It is one of the three greatest dōjutsu, belonging to the Uchiha Clan and the Uchiha Clan alone." He confides as he examined the bookshelf, tracing a book's spine briefly until he found the one he was looking for. "No one can be born with the Sharingan unless they have Uchiha DNA, there had been one case of an Uchiha giving one of his Sharingan to his friend but that's off topic."

As he sat down again, he thumbed through the journal in order to find the proper page and set it down in the middle of the table.

* * *

For the next hour Orochimaru sat there with the boys, answering each of their questions that was related to chakra or the Sharingan. They had learned pretty quickly that he wasn't going to answer any question relating to his past or how he knew what he did. Finally as the four seemed to run out of questions, Tobirama requested shortly if the Sannin could leave so they could speak in private.

"Very well," he says, getting to his feet again and plucking the book off the table in the same motion. "Stay in this room, and don't snoop around. I will be back in five minutes, if that is an acceptable time?"

Tobirama nods and thanks him reverently, and the snake could feel ruby-red eyes following him all the way to the door. " _You seriously trust them enough to tell them all of this? Let alone leave them alone in your house?!_ " Kurama demands, and Orochimaru scoffs as he shuts the door behind him.

Hesitating briefly, he eventually decides to not listen in as he meanders silently down the hall. "Three of those four boys are the founders of the first shinobi village, the fourth undoubtedly would have been one as well had he not died. If one were to trust anyone with the knowledge of the shinobi life the best bet would be to trust them."

"Besides, if they decide to attempt telling anyone they wouldn't be taken seriously simply because of their age."

" _And that,_ " the bijuu rumbles. " _Is supposed to make me trust your decision?_ "

With a low hiss, Orochimaru pushed open the door at the end of the hall and strode into the room. "You have never trusted any of my decisions, not even when several of them saved you and your precious Naruto! So I hardly care if you like what I have chosen to do. What's done is done and the people of this time aren't as trusting of their children as they were in the shinobi era." He snarls waspishly, his sharp gaze snapping over the contents of the room to assess whether or not he needs to dust yet.

Kurama growled in offense, roaring out insults and letting his chakra spike dangerously. "Do not test my patience any further, Kurama, I am not like Naruto so I will _not_ question nor hesitate to take complete control of your chakra." The Sannin warns darkly, his eyes catching on the pictures of the different Hokage, specifically the ninth and third ones.

Mitsuki's election as the Hokage hadn't been the best timing, but he had made it work even when most of the time he only had Boruto and Orochimaru's support. Sarada's death hadn't been easy on either Mitsuki or Boruto. And then Sarutobi-sensei… He would probably never forgive himself for what he did to Sarutobi-sensei.

Dragging his gaze away from the pictures, Orochimaru tucked his hands into his sleeves as he turned back the way he came. Now definitely wasn't the best time to get caught up in his memories, especially when it could mean unwanted snooping from nosy children. "Madaraaaaaa," Hashirama's voice distinctly whines as the Sannin approaches the door. "We aren't supposed to leave the room!"

"I want to ask as soon as possible." Objects Madara, and the door handle rattles as it's grabbed. The elder Uchiha opens the door and lets out an unmanly squeak as he falls back onto his ass. "What kind of person makes absolutely no noise when walking?!" he shouted and Tobirama raises a judgmental brow as Hashirama and Izuna start laughing.

Smothering his own amusement, he simply inclines his head and lets a faint mocking smirk curl at his lips. "One who was born in a war," he states before snorting as Madara swipes at Hashirama and Izuna both as they continue laughing. "You've finished speaking, I presume?" Tobirama nods, clearing his throat pointedly at his companions before they all turn to the Sannin in expectant hope.

"Please train us!" Hashirama blurts excitably, clasping his hands in front of him and staring at Orochimaru with entreating onyx eyes. Completely caught off guard, he splutters in surprise and blinks at them as Izuna nods rapidly. "We want to learn how to control our chakra, and learn to be ninja. Please, _please_ train us!" he added in, all but beginning to bounce in place while Madara and Tobirama roll their eyes at their siblings' outbursts.

He has to force himself to breathe, focusing on that until it was unconscious once again before regarding the boys warily. "Say I do allow you to stay in order to train, what makes you think you could _handle_ the training? And that's overlooking the simple fact that it would take years to finish the basics alone." Inquires the snake and Izuna puffs his cheeks in a pout, his brows furrowing as Tobirama glances at him cautiously.

"We can," Madara insisted impatiently, his eyes cold with determination. "If you're worried about someone noticing we're gone… We've already been away for nearly a year, our father isn't quite one who _cares_."

Orochimaru was silent as he allowed his carefully blank façade return. " _Snake, I will rip you apart from the inside out-_." "I will train you," he says, cutting off Kurama and ignoring how it both frustrates and angers the demon fox as the boys perk up happily. " _If_ you can pass a test."

Deflating with a pathetic whine, Hashirama slouches and all but ends up face first against the table. "A test?" Tobirama and Madara question at the same time, glancing at each other briefly in surprise. With a nod, the Sannin turned on his heel to walk down the hall a few steps, "Yes, I will explain it tomorrow. For now I will show you where you can sleep tonight, so if you'll follow me."

"Will there be _beds_ ," the brunet wants to know as he shoots upright, all but dragging Tobirama along behind him by the wrist. "We haven't slept in beds in ages!"

A conflict of emotions flickers in the snake's chest at that, and he is grateful that the boys are behind him so they don't see his faint frown, "How long have you been traveling?" Izuna _groans_ , loud and unfettered, as his rapid footsteps follow just as eagerly as Hashirama's. " _Months_. We've been looking for you for months, and that entire time we were almost starving because we could never really get anything to eat. Tobirama's become really good with traps, it's awesome!" he reported and the statement made Orochimaru look over his shoulder curiously.

Tobirama was keeping his gaze firmly anywhere that wasn't Orochimaru's and a light pink was dusted over his cheekbones. "Izuna, it's not _that_ awesome." He murmurs and it made the pale shinobi chuckle lightly as he opens a door, "Depending on the trap it could very well be. This is the room; you may feel free to travel from here to the bathroom or the kitchen. I would prefer if you didn't snoop in my home." He stepped to the side to allow the boys into the room, watching in amusement as Izuna bolts for one of the bed to collapse on it in a heap. Hashirama followed suit, kicking off his shoes and cocooning himself into the blankets as Madara and Tobirama venture in slowly.

The white-haired boy turns to Orochimaru and bows respectfully, adamantly saying, "Thank you very much for the food and beds."

With a snort, he turns away and just barely casts a glance over his shoulder long enough to reply. "Dinner will be in a few hours, if you are hungry at that time. Even if you do not eat, I expect you four to be settling in for bed two hours after dinner." He says breezily before ghosting away, listening to the door close as he did.

* * *

Tobirama watched Orochimaru leave, staring briefly before he closed the door and made his was to the empty bed. "So we did it…" Madara repeats on a sigh and the younger Senju rolls his eyes as he set his shoes to the side before climbing onto the mattress. "Must you repeat yourself _again_ , Uchiha?" drawls the white-haired boy and Madara inflates in clear offense.

"Stuff it, Senju, it's just hard to believe! We wandered around for _months_ , traveled nearly a thousand miles and we're so close to getting what we want-!"

"Do you really think we have soulmates? I wonder who my soulmate is." Hashirama cuts in lazily, grinning at his best friend's glare before sitting up quickly, "Would we even be able to find our soulmates if we did have some? I mean, the world is huge and there's hundreds of people."

Restraining a snort, Tobirama pulls his legs underneath himself to sit cross-legged as his head started to tilt to the side. "Try between millions and billions of people, brother," he murmured, turning his gaze to the ceiling as he took a deep breath. "I suppose if one does have a soulmate then nature would have them near one another so they _would_ find each other." Madara suddenly huffs, nesting himself in the blankets of his bed as he grumbles nonsense briefly.

"I'm done with this soulmate talk, everyone shut up because I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when the food is done."

The pale boy wants to continue talking just to spite the Uchiha, but he limits himself to a singular sentence. "Don't worry, Uchiha, we'll be sure to forget to wake you."

"Eat shit, Senju!"

That was worth it.

* * *

 _Tobirama likes bugging the others. Madara as a really short fuse and is prone to blowing up. I'm going to use these to my advantage. No one can stop me. XD thanks for reading this chapter!_


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